Remote prescription refill system

ABSTRACT

A central station is provided to which the pharmacy can forward calls at the convenience of the pharmacy. A caller will call in to the pharmacy to request a refill and the call will be automatically routed to the central facility unbeknownst to the caller. The central station will obtain the refill information required, preferably by means of an automated computer system as is known in the art. This information can then be transferred to the pharmacist in a number of ways, such as by periodically faxing the information to the pharmacy. Voice messages could be flagged and the pharmacist would have to call into the central facility to obtain the voice mail message. Alternatively, a PC could be installed in the pharmacy having a reduced version of a complete, stand-alone program. The refill information can then be sent to the pharmacy by modem and the pharmacist could see a computer display of the refill orders and could hear voice messages. Alternatively, the information could be e-mailed to the pharmacy. Finally, a pager system may be utilized to alert the pharmacist to retrieve orders by telephone with a password. It should also be noted that orders could be taken by the central station over the Internet rather than merely through customer calls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to a remote refill prescriptionsystem for automatically handling prescription re-fill orders forpharmacies. More specifically, this invention relates to a remoteprescription refill system, wherein refill orders are placed at acentral station and there the refill information transferred by one ormore of various ways to the pharmacy.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Traditionally, prescription refills were ordered by visiting apharmacy and requesting a refill. Eventually, one could obtain aprescription refill by telephoning the pharmacy and speaking with thepharmacist to request the refill. However, this could take up a largeamount of a pharmacist's time. In a busy pharmacy, numerous telephonerequests for refills could prevent the pharmacist from actuallyperforming his or her work—preparing drugs.

[0005] Accordingly, what was developed, and are now in widespread use,are automated telephone prescription refill systems which handleincoming calls, obtain the prescription refill request and provide therequest to the pharmacist. Many of these systems are computer-based andrun sophisticated software programs. Such systems may includemicroprocessors, memory, monitors, modems, printers, and may evenrequire technical support. Such systems can be expensive, and thoughaffordable by large, busy pharmacies, or pharmacy chains, these systemsmay not be affordable for every pharmacy. Such a “stand-alone” system isdiscussed, hereinafter, in the Detailed Description of the Invention.

[0006] Accordingly, what is desired, and has not heretofore beenprovided, is an inexpensive automated system for pharmacies for handlingprescription refill orders. Additionally, it is desired that such asystem can be utilized by pharmacists with varying technicalcapabilities without the need for technical support.

[0007] Past efforts in this general area include the following:

[0008] Rhodes, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,492 discloses a computerbased pharmaceutical care cognitive services management system andmethod that facilitates the transformation of a vendor to a health careprovider. The invention captures the value added by a pharmacist to apatient encounter and enables the pharmacist to financially recover forthe services provided. The system allows for the processing ofinterruptions during sessions.

[0009] Brennan, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,594 discloses a modularpharmacy system that can be standardized for efficient arrangement ofsuccessive of steps in the preparation of prescriptions. The pharmacysystem includes a plurality of workstations for completing successivesteps in the admixture of intravenous solutions and drugs.

[0010] Gilbert, U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,742 discloses a system for remotedata collection. The data is then sent to a central site via a telephonenetwork to store the data for processing by a central processing unit.The invention has particular applicability in the collection andprocessing of data for statistical purposes in the field ofpharmacological distribution.

[0011] Pugaczewski, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,488 discloses acentralized, multiple-service voice messaging system. The system permitsdifferentiation between incoming calls. Additional directory numbers arededicated to message service systems. The central office forwards callsdialed to the dedicated directory numbers to the voice mail system,which recognizes the numbers and performs services based on thedirectory number dialed.

[0012] Kehnemuyi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,841 discloses a method andapparatus for automatically contacting customers and reporting orderstatus data. Memory is provided for receiving and storing the customerorder status information including product order information, scheduledand actual shipping dates and the customer's telephone number. Atelephone dialer is provided for dialing customer telephone numbers. Thetelephone dialer sequentially dials customer's telephone numbers and acorresponding customer report facsimile is automatically transmitted tothe customer.

[0013] Pauly, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,280 discloses an apparatus andmethod for filing prescriptions for disposable contact lenses. Eye careprofessionals may place automated orders through personal computers orby direct telephone calls. A central station having a variety of filestorage means, which maintains the files, and selectively processes thefiles in accordance with its operations. Orders are processed in a batchmode and order forms may be printed. The order forms are then deliveredto the inventory-distribution area where orders are verified, packagedand shipped to the customer. At the time of the receipt of the order,and at shipping, appropriate inventory file adjustments are made.

[0014] Pilarczyk, U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,542 discloses a system forcontacting pharmacy customers to automatically remind them that theirprescriptions need to be refilled. The system includes a computer,memory, and automatic telephone dialing and voice synthesizingequipment. A printed report is provided to the pharmacist.

[0015] Some additional patents that pertain to this field includePerlman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,209, which discloses a modem for supportingmultiple site call conference data communications; Williams, et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,995, which discloses an automated medicalprescription fulfillment system having work stations for imaging, filingand checking the dispensed drug or product; Whalen, et al., U.S. Pat.No. 5,327,341, which discloses a computerized file maintenance systemfor managing medical records including narrative reports; Ketring, U.S.Pat. No. 5,249,221, which discloses a telephone answering system withcall transfer; and Davis, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,962, whichdiscloses a call cover arrangement wherein a covered call is redirectedsequentially to each of the covering stations in a coverage group in anorder of preference until the call is answered or abandoned.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] It is a primary object of this invention to provide aprescription refill system having a central station, which automaticallyprocesses pharmacy prescription refills.

[0017] It is another object of the present invention to provide aprescription refill system where a caller will telephone a pharmacy andbe automatically routed to a central station where the refillinformation will be obtained.

[0018] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide aprescription refill system where the refill information from the centralstation can be transferred to the pharmacy in a variety of ways.

[0019] It is even an additional object of the present invention toprovide a system of the class described where the refill information istransmitted to the pharmacy by facsimile transmission.

[0020] It is still even an additional object of the present invention toprovide a system where the refill information is transmitted to thepharmacy by e-mail.

[0021] It is still a further object of the present invention to providea prescription refill system where the refill information is transmittedto the pharmacy over the Internet.

[0022] It is even a further object of the present invention to provide asystem where the pharmacist can access voice mail information left bycallers on the central station.

[0023] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide asystem where the pharmacies can receive order information from thecentral station by the use of the telephone with a password.

[0024] It is even another object of the present invention to provide asystem where the pharmacist can use a local personal computer (PC) toaccess refill order information and voice messages from the centralstation.

[0025] It is still a further object of this invention to provide aprescription refill system utilizing a central station which istransparant to the refill requestor, i.e., people requesting refillsperceive themselves to be dealing directly with the pharmacy.

[0026] A central station is provided to which the pharmacy can forwardcalls at the convenience of the pharmacy. A caller will call in to thepharmacy to request a refill and the call will be automatically routedto the central facility unbeknownst to the caller. The central stationwill obtain the refill information required, preferably by means of anautomated computer system. This information can then be transferred tothe pharmacist in a number of ways, such as by periodically faxing theinformation to the pharmacy. Voice messages could be flagged and thepharmacist would call into the central facility to obtain the voice mailmessage. Alternatively, a PC could be installed in the pharmacy having areduced version of a complete, stand-alone program. The refillinformation can then be sent to the pharmacy by modem and the pharmacistcould see a computer display of the refill orders and could hear voicemessages. Alternatively, the information could be e-mailed to thepharmacy. Finally, a pager system may be utilized to alert thepharmacist to retrieve orders by telephone with a password. It shouldalso be noted that orders could be taken by the central station over theInternet rather than merely through customer calls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Other important objects and features of the invention will beapparent from the following Detailed Description of the Invention takenin connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0028]FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the operation of the invention.

[0029]FIG. 2 is a computer display of a setup function of the invention.

[0030]FIG. 3 is a computer display of some available options of theinvention.

[0031]FIG. 4 is a computer display of some available announcementoptions of the invention.

[0032]FIG. 5 is a computer display of some available print options ofthe invention.

[0033]FIG. 6 is a is a computer display of Holidays for scheduling forthe invention.

[0034]FIG. 7 is a computer display of the pickup and delivery schedulefor the invention.

[0035]FIG. 8 is a computer display of refill orders generated on a PC atthe pharmacy in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0036]FIG. 9 is a computer display of refill orders or FIG. 8, with sortoptions for these orders.

[0037]FIG. 10 is a computer display of voice messages which may beprinted or played.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] In discussing the present invention, it is useful to begin with adiscussion of the assignee's commercially available stand-alone refillprescription system which has many programming similarities with thepresent invention. In the stand-alone system, the computer programs arelocated at the pharmacy.

[0039] Before starting to use the stand-alone system, it has to becustomized by entering all the necessary information about the businessand choosing the optional features. This is known as the setup process.It is important to check the computer's date and time settings and tocorrect them before starting. To start the stand-alone system, one mustturn the power on to start the computer, on the Windows® desktop screenclick on the start button, click on Programs and then click on theprogram icon, when the program starts, it displays the title screenbriefly and then the main program screen appears.

[0040] To access the Setup screen click on File—Setup. The main Setupscreen will be displayed. As a security precaution a password should beused. To insert a password: Click on the Change Password button. TheChange Password window appears. In the Change Password window type thepassword of four characters in the New Password box. Press the TAB keyto move to the Confirm Password box and retype the password exactly asbefore. Click OK. This returns to the main Setup window. The Passwordtakes effect the next time Setup is started.

[0041] The pharmacy name is entered in the main Setup window. There isalso an option to record the name of the pharmacy for use in OutboundCall modules (if it has not yet been prerecorded). To record thepharmacy name, turn on the microphone. Type the name of the pharmacyinto the Name of Pharmacy text box. Click on the Record button in themain Setup window and the Record Pharmacy Name window will be displayed.Click on the Record button and speak into the microphone. The blinkingword “Recording” instead of “Stopped” and the movement of a slider willshow the progress of recording. Click on the Stop button when finishedrecording. Click on the Play button to hear the recording. In the Scriptwindow, the text as recorded may be entered for future reference. ClickOK to return to the main Setup window.

[0042] To import an existing voice file for the Pharmacy Name, from theRecord Pharmacy Name window click on the Import button. A standardWindows 95 Open screen will be displayed. Select the file to be importedas the Pharmacy Name and click on the Open button. In the Script window,the user has the option to type in the text of the voice file, which wasimported for future reference. Click OK to return to the main Setupwindow.

[0043] The Initial Announcement is the first announcement customers hearwhen they access the program. It is required that at least one initialannouncement always be present. The General Announcement is an optionalfeature that may provide callers with general information about thepharmacy (e.g., hours, directions, promotional and sale information,etc.) The after-hours Announcements is an optional feature that will beonly played when the pharmacy is closed and provide callers withinformation regarding the nearest 24 hour store or any other after-hoursemergency related information if a caller chooses to listen to it fromthe Main voice menu.

[0044] When customers call the pharmacy, the first thing they hear is anInitial Announcement (e.g., “You have reached the ABC Pharmacy”). Theannouncement may be recorded by the pharmacy staff or imported as aprerecorded voice file. To record the Initial Announcement, click on theAnnouncements button in the Setup window and the Announcements windowwill appear. Click on the tab Initial. Click on the Add button. Thiswill bring up the Add Initial Announcement window. Type in a name toidentify the announcement. One can record more than one initialannouncement and save the inactive recordings for later use. Therefore,pick a name that will allow one to distinguish between them (e.g.,“Standard,” “Holiday,” etc.) Type the text that will be record in theScript window for future reference. Click on the Record button. Push theStop button when finished recording. Click on the Play button to hearthe recording. Click OK when finished. This returns to the Announcementswindow.

[0045] Select the initial announcement for the program to use from thelist of announcements. The initial announcement, whose name ishighlighted and is shown in the Initial Announcement text box in theAnnouncements window, is the initial announcement that will be played bythe system. Click OK. This returns to the main Setup window.

[0046] To import a prerecorded voice file for the Initial Announcement,from the Add Initial Announcement or the Edit Initial Announcementwindows click on the Import button. A standard Windows 95 Open screenwill be displayed. Select the file that will be imported as an initialannouncement and click on the Open button. The selected file name willappear in the Name text box of the Add Initial Announcement window. Inthe Script window, type in the text of the imported initial announcementfor future reference. Click OK when finished. This returns to theAnnouncements window. Select the initial announcement the program is touse from the list of announcements by clicking on it. The initialannouncement, whose name is highlighted and is shown in the InitialAnnouncement text box, is the initial announcement that will be playedby the system. If an initial announcement was not recorded words “NotRecorded” will appear in the Initial Announcement text box in red color.

[0047] One may also choose to make available to callers a GeneralAnnouncement about the pharmacy. The process of recording a GeneralAnnouncement is very similar to the process of recording an InitialAnnouncement. In the Announcements window click on the tab General.Check the General Information check box (by clicking in it) to activateit. Add, Edit and Delete buttons will become enabled. Click on the Addbutton. This will bring up the Add General Announcement window. Therecording of the General Announcement is the same as the recording ofthe Initial Announcement. The procedure for importing prerecorded voicefiles for a General Announcement is the same as for an InitialAnnouncement.

[0048] One may also choose to activate an after-hours Announcement. Theprocess of recording an after-hours Announcement is very similar to theprocess of recording an Initial Announcement. In the Announcementswindow click on the tab after-hours. Check the after-hours Announcementcheck box (by clicking in it). The Add, Edit and Delete buttons willbecome enabled. Click on the Add button. This will bring up the Addafter-hours Announcement window. Follow the stems for recording theInitial Announcement. The procedure for importing the prerecorded voicefiles for an after-hours Announcement is the same as for an InitialAnnouncement.

[0049] The Options window is a part of the Setup process where theprogram can be fully customized by choosing the main features that areessential for running in a particular business environment. There areonly several settings in the Options that are required to be completed:the length of the customer's telephone number, the local area code andthe length of the Rx number. The rest of the settings are optional.

[0050] To access the Options window, click on the Options button in themain Setup window and the Options window will be displayed. Whenselection of the options to be included in the system is completed,click OK to save the settings and return to the main Setup window orclick Cancel to exit the Options window without saving the changes.

[0051] The program requests a customer's phone numbers in case they needto be reached. To choose the options in the Request Phone Numbersection, type the pharmacy local area code in the Local Area Code textbox. Click on the Seven Digits radial button if the pharmacy services alocal region with only one area code and it is not desired to request anarea code with the customer's phone number. Click on the Ten Digitsradial button if the pharmacy services customers from more than one areacode region and it is desired that the program request an area code withthe customer's phone number.

[0052] If the program is integrated with an existing Pharmacy ManagementSystem it will request customer's phone numbers only in the cases wherethe number detected by Caller ID does not match any phone number in thecustomer's profile file.

[0053] The program allows customers to leave the refill voice messageattached to their refill order (for example: “I don't have a refillnumber handy but I need another refill of XYZ you have on file to bedelivered with my order.” or “Please contact my doctor at 212-222-2222for refill authorization, of XYZ.” or “Add to my delivery order 100 ABCpills and three tubes of Crest® regular toothpaste.”) If this option ischosen the system will prompt the callers during their refill requestsession to leave a voice message with instructions to the pharmacist.Check the Ask for Refill Message check box to activate this feature.

[0054] Voice Messaging allows customers to leave a voice message only,thus serving as an answering machine for all incoming voice lines. Whenactivated, the system will prompt the caller on the Main Voice Menu topress a designated button on a telephone keypad if they want to leave amessage. Check the Activate Voice Messaging check box to activate thisfeature.

[0055] When a new order is received, it is recommended that a sound fromcomputer speakers is issued to immediately alert the pharmacist of a neworder. Check the New Order—Sound Alert check box to activate thisfeature.

[0056] The Order Status Verification feature allows callers to verifythe status of the prescription refill previously ordered through theprogram. If the option is activated, the customers will have the choiceon the Main Voice Menu of checking the status of their refill order.Check the Order Status Verification check box to activate this feature.

[0057] The Doctor's Line Announcement is designed for pharmacies withmulti-line telephone environment without call routing. The systemrecognizes doctors transferring to the pharmacy phones, either from theDoctor's Voice Menu or from bypassing the system by means of the directtransfer feature, and announces through the computer speakers the numberof the phone line on which the doctor is holding. Check the Doctor'sLine Announcement check box to enable this feature.

[0058] Customers may speak directly to the pharmacy staff. Somepharmacies may choose to have a dedicated telephone line solely forprescription refills and have a second number for direct calls to thepharmacy. When activated, the system will prompt the caller to press thezero key if they require personal assistance. Check the Allow Transferto Pharmacy check box to activate this feature. Enter in the Dial Stringtext box the dialing combination which controls the switching device(PBX, KSU, line switching box).

[0059] While entering refill numbers and/or recording voice messagescallers will not be able to transfer their calls to the pharmacy usingthe zero key. In such cases and/or at any time during the call callershave the option to return to the Main Voice Menu by pressing the starkey and then to be transferred to the pharmacy by pressing the zero key.

[0060] When the pharmacy is closed the system does not offer to callersthe choice of transferring their calls to the pharmacy phones bypressing the zero key. However pharmacy staff and designated callers maytransfer their after-hours calls to the pharmacy phones by pressing thenine (“9”) key at any time during the Main Voice Menu. This option isnever announced to general callers.

[0061] The First Choice feature allows one to change the order ofplaying the Refill and Doctor's prompts on the Main Voice Menu. Onechooses which menu choice, Refill or Doctor, should be played first bychecking the appropriate option in the First Choice section: Click onthe Doctors radial button if callers are to hear the choice “Doctor'sOffice only” first on the Main Voice Menu. Click on the Cust. Refillsradial button if callers are to hear the choice “To Refill aPrescription” first on the Main Voice Menu.

[0062] The Doctor's Orders section allows adjusting the Doctor's Menu tothe preferences of doctors in the community. One may choose anycombination of the following options by checking the appropriate checkboxes in the Doctor's Orders section. The Refill option allows doctorsto record new prescriptions and/or refill authorizations in just onerecording. They are prompted by the system to state their full name andphone number, patient full name and phone number and all relevantinformation for the new prescription and/or refill authorization.

[0063] The Message option allows doctors to leave a message for thepharmacy staff. They are prompted by the system to leave their name,phone number and a detailed message. The Transfer option allows doctorsto be immediately transferred to the pharmacy staff by pressing the zerokey on the keypad of their phones. If none of these options isactivated, the Doctor's Menu will be turned off and the choice of“Doctor's Office only” will not be offered on the Main Voice Menu. Ifonly the Transfer is selected, then whenever doctors press the “Doctor'sOffice only” option on the Main Voice Menu they will be automaticallytransferred to the pharmacy staff. If a combination of any of the threeoptions is activated, the doctor will hear the short menu offering theselected choices.

[0064] The program requires that the number of digits in the Rx Numberused in the Pharmacy (any number between 3 and 10 excluding letters,preceding or succeeding if any) be specified. The program validates acustomer's entry to make sure the correct number of digits have beenpunched in. If necessary (for example, if Rx numbers of two differentlength are used) one may choose a variable length for the Rx number bytyping a “*” in the Length of Rx number text box. If variable length ofthe Rx number is chosen the system will prompt customers to follow theinput of the Rx number by the “#” sign. In any case the system will playback to customers the entered Rx numbers for verification. Type thenumber of digits in the prescription refill number or a “*” for variablelength in the Length of Rx number text box.

[0065] The program permits choice of the number of days' worth of orders(from 2 to 7 days) that will be stored in the system and displayed onthe main screen. The fewer number of days are stored, the faster thesystem works. By default the system stores orders for 3 days. To changethis number, click on the Days to Store text box and delete the existingnumber. Type in the desired number of days for storing orders in thesystem.

[0066] There are two different ways of printing orders in the program,Receipt Printing and Full-page Printing with receipt printing, allorders are printed automatically on the receipt (cash register type)printer in the form of order slip as soon as they are received. Click onthe arrow in the Receipt Printer list and select the desired receiptprinter from the drop-down choices to enable this feature. If noprinting is required (for example, when the system is in integratedmode) choose option “No Printer.” With full-page printing, the programcan print in the full-page format on any printer connected to thecomputer and installed in the Windows® system. In full-page printingmode, orders sorted on the Main Screen may be printed in a variety ofway (refills, filled, doctors' orders, messages, etc.) in full-pageformat.

[0067] The Terminal Integration, Terminal Emulation and Modem sectionsof the Options deal with the integration of the program with otherPharmacy Management Systems and some other applications. Each of themrequires different special settings in the Integration, TerminalEmulation and Modem sections. These sections will be preset or will beconfigured by the authorized technician during the installation.

[0068] The program requires one to specify the holidays when thepharmacy is closed so that it will not schedule prescription refills onthose days. Click on the Holidays button in the main Setup window andthe Holidays window will be displayed. Click on the each specificholiday on the holiday's list to select the holidays during which thepharmacy will be closed for the whole day. When choosing a holiday onthe list, it is highlighted in red, both on the list and on thecorresponding day. If the pharmacy will be closed on a holiday that isnot on the list, one may manually designate a day for this holiday byclicking on that day on the calendar (use the scroll bar under thecalendar to find any day of the year). The program will display a dialogbox to ask if one would like to designate this day as a holiday. ClickOK. To remove the Holiday from the schedule, click on the name of theHoliday on the list or date of the Holiday on the calendar. The programwill display a dialog box to ask if one would like to remove thisholiday from the office calendar. Click OK. Click the Close button whendone to save the settings and return to the main Setup window.

[0069] The phone ports part of the Setup deals with the configuration oftelephony boards used in the computer as well as with actual layout ofthe telephone lines to the telephony boards ports. One may also choosewhich telephone lines are to be used for outbound calls to customerswhose refill orders are ready but were not picked up, or to remind themthat their medication is due to be refilled. Click on the Phone Portsbutton to display the Phone Ports Setup window. Select the first line toconfigure by clicking on the first row in the Phone Ports Setup window(the row pointer, a black arrow, will point to that row). Press the TABkey on the keyboard and the cursor will appear in the Phone Numberfield. Type in the phone line consecutive number (for the first phoneline in hunting sequence type in the number 1). Press the TAB key to theOutbound Call field. Click on the Arrow button for the choice and pickone of following: “Y” for making Outbound Calls from this line or “N”for not using the line for Outbound Calls. Repeat steps 2-3 for the restof the system telephone lines in the hunting sequence. Check theAutoattendant check box to activate this feature. This will enable theAutoattendant button in the Setup window. Click OK to close the windowand to return to the main Setup window.

[0070] The Outbound Call feature calls customers whose refill orders areready but were not picked up, or to remind them that their medication isdue to be refilled. To use this feature and to create the defaultschedule of outbound calls, click on the Outbound Calls button todisplay the Outbound Calls window. Check the Remind check box toactivate the feature. To create a schedule for calling out duringweekdays click on the Time to call weekdays arrow button. It will bringup a Time window with From field highlighted. First click on the hourthe program is to start calling customers. Then click on the minutespast the hour from the Minutes (Min.) row. If minutes are not chosen,double click on the hour. The To field will then be automaticallyhighlighted. Select the time the program is to stop calling and followthe same procedure as above. The Time window will be automaticallyclosed and will return to the Outbound Call window (the scheduled periodof time will appear in the Time to Call Weekdays text box). To create aschedule for calling out during weekend click on the Time to CallSat./Sun. arrow button.

[0071] The schedules that the program references when responding tocustomer requests are created in the form of Templates. Templates allowone to choose the hours that the pharmacy is open on any day, the daysit is closed, and to specify how much time to allow preparing an order.Templates are the main building blocks of the working schedule, and areflexible enough to adjust the schedule to any specific situation on adaily basis. The scheduling mechanism allows the program to letcustomers know when their prescription is going to be ready.

[0072] The program manages pickups and/or deliveries, but separateschedules for both of them should be created. In the main Setup windowthere are two sections—Pickup and Delivery. Check the Pickup check boxto activate pickup scheduling and announce to customers the date andtime the prescriptions will be ready. Check the Delivery check box ifthe pharmacy provides delivery service and one wants to activatescheduling of those deliveries.

[0073] There are two types of templates: weekly and daily templates. Aweekly template consists of the regular business hours during the normalweek and covers a full week, including the weekend. Daily templates areadditional templates for certain days that have an exceptional schedule,within a normal business week, different from the regular schedule (someholidays and/or days before holidays). The program requires a templatefor every day of the year except holidays, vacation and days off, ifany. Creation of a daily template is similar to the creation of a weeklytemplate except that one need not specify a day of the week and eachtemplate covers only one day at a time.

[0074] To create Weekly Templates, in the main Setup window check thePickup check box and/or the Delivery check box, depending on which typeof template is to be created. Click on the Templates button in thePickup or Delivery section. The program will display either theTemplates: Pickup or the Templates: Delivery window. Click on the Addbutton. The Add Template: Pickup or the Add Template: Delivery windowwill appear. Choose a name for the template and type it in the TemplateName text box. Click on Backcolor to choose the background color of thetemplate as it will appear on the calendar. Select a basic color fromthe Basic colors chart in the Color window and click OK, or refer toDefining Custom Colors to use a color that is not on the basic chart.Choose different colors for the templates, so they can be easilyidentified on the calendar. Click on the Forecolor button to select thecolor of the text that appears on the template. Repeat the same processfor selecting a background color. Make sure that the Forecolor chosen isdifferent from the background color of the template. In the TemplateType section, select the Weekly radial button to create a weeklytemplate. Click on the arrow button in the Day to include in weeklytemplate list box and select from the pull-down list of choices thefirst day of the week for scheduling. Click on the Add button. The Timewindow appears with the From field highlighted. Click on the hour thepharmacy opens or the start hour of the delivery period, if creating aDelivery template. Then select the minutes past the hour from theMinutes (Min.) row. If minutes are not needed, double click on the hour.The To field will then be automatically highlighted. Click on the timethe pharmacy closes or the last hour of the delivery period, if creatinga Delivery template. For example, if the pharmacy opens at 9:00 AM andcloses at 8:30 PM, select the 9 from the AM row and the 00 from theMinutes row (or just double click on 9). When the To field ishighlighted, select the 8 from the PM row and the 30 from the Minutesrow. Multiple working hours during one day may be entered following theprocedure described above thus creating “breaks” in the schedule withdifferent preparation or delivery intervals for each one. For example,one may create working hours from 9:00 AM till 1:00 PM with preparationinterval one hour and then you may also create another period from 2:00PM till 8:00 PM with preparation interval two hours for the same day.

[0075] To schedule a preparation or delivery interval, highlight theworking hours period by clicking on it in the table under the Day toinclude in weekly template if there is more then one. Then click on thearrow button in the Interval box and choose from the drop-down list ofchoices a desired preparation or delivery interval to refill or delivera prescription within highlighted working hours period. Each workinghours period may have a different interval assigned to it. The programwill use this information to tell customers the time after which theirprescriptions will be ready for pickup or delivery. Repeat these stepsfor every day of the week the pharmacy is open. One may edit any timeslot within a given day by selecting it from the table under the “Day toinclude in weekly template,” and either changing the Interval from thedrop-down list box or by clicking on the Edit button and reentering thebusiness hours. To erase a working hours interval, highlight it in thetable under the “Day to include in weekly template,” and click on theDelete button. Click OK when done with the current template. Thisreturns to the Templates screen (either Pickup or Delivery). Whenfinished, click Close.

[0076] One may also edit or delete any existing template at any time byselecting it in the Templates list and then clicking on the Edit orDelete button. When one selects template, the description of thetemplate in table format will appear. The process of creating the dailytemplates is similar to the process of creating the weekly templates. Inthe main Setup window check the Pickup check box and/or the Deliverycheck box, depending on which type of template is to be created. Clickon the Templates button in the Pickup or Delivery section. The programwill display either the Templates: Pickup or the Templates: Deliverywindow. Click on the Add button. The Add Template: Pickup or the AddTemplate: Delivery window will appear. Choose a name for the templateand type it in the Template Name text box. Later one may create morethan one weekly template so select a name that will distinguish betweenthem (e.g., Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Eve, etc.) Click onBackcolor to choose the background color of the template as it willappear on the calendar. Select a basic color from the Basic colors chartin the Color window and click OK, or use a color that is not on thebasic chart. Click on the Forecolor button to select the color of thetext that appears on the template. Repeat the same process used forselecting a background color. The Forecolor selected should be differentfrom the background color of the template. In the Template Type frame,select the radial button Daily to create a daily template. Click on theAdd button. The Time window appears with the From field highlighted.Click on the hour the pharmacy opens or the start hour of the deliveryperiod, if creating a Delivery template. Make sure you are in thecorrect row for the AM or PM hours. Then select the minutes past thehour from the Minutes (Min.) row. If minutes are not chosen, doubleclick on the hour. The To field will then be automatically highlighted.Click on the time the pharmacy closes or the last hour of the deliveryperiod, if creating a Delivery template. For example, if the pharmacyopens at 9:00 AM and closes at 6:30 PM, select the 9 from the AM row andthe 00 from the Minutes row (or just double click on 9). When the Tofield is highlighted, select the 6 from the PM row and the 30 from theMinutes row. Multiple working hours during one day can be entered thuscreating “breaks” in the schedule. For example, one may create workinghours from 9:00 AM till 1:00 PM and then create another period from 2:00PM till 6:30 PM for the same day.

[0077] To schedule a preparation or delivery interval, highlight theworking hours period by clicking on it in the table under Schedule Setup(if there is more then one period of time in the table). Then click onthe arrow button in the Interval box and choose from the drop-down listof choices a desired preparation or delivery interval to refill ordeliver a prescription within highlighted working hours period. Eachworking hours period may have a different interval assigned to it. Theprogram will use this information to tell customers the time after whichtheir prescriptions will be ready for pickup or delivery. One may editany time slot within a given day by selecting it from the table under“Day to include in weekly template,” and either changing the Intervalfrom the drop down list or by clicking on the Edit button and reenteringthe business hours. To erase a working hours interval, highlight it inthe table under “Day to include in weekly template,” and click on theDelete button. Click OK when done with the current template. This willreturn to the Templates screen (either Pickup or Delivery). Whenfinished, click Close. One may also edit or delete any existing templateat any time by selecting it in the Templates list and then clicking onthe Edit or Delete button. When one selects template, the description ofthe template in table format will appear underneath.

[0078] To define a custom color to be placed in the Custom Colors chart,from the Color screen, click on the Define Custom Colors button. Clickon a color area of the color palette. Adjust the illumination andcontent of the color by moving the white arrow found on the far right ofthe window down to the desired place. Unless the arrow is moved, thecolor will remain white. The farther down the arrow is moved, the darkerthe color. Click the Add to Custom Colors button when you have thedesired color. Click on the color just defined from the Custom Colorschart to select it. Click the OK button.

[0079] After creating Templates, the next step is Scheduling. Schedulingis the process of applying templates to certain days and weeks of theyear. In order to accurately take orders and assign pickup or deliverytimes, the program will refer to the schedules and preparation timesassociated with the template for each particular day. Its important toknow that the program does not allow for any gaps within any scheduledperiod of time. Each and every date must have a template assigned to it(even if it's a non-working day) from the first day scheduled in thecalendar until the last day chosen to schedule. Schedules for any numberof weeks/days up to 3 years in advance may be created. If no template isapplied past the current date, the program will automatically extend thecurrent date template one day further.

[0080] In the Setup window, click on the Schedule button under eitherthe Pickup or Delivery heading, depending on which type of schedule isto be created. The Schedule: Pickup or Schedule: Delivery windowappears. Select the Template to be assigned by clicking on it once inthe list of Templates. Use the mouse to move the scroll bar from monthto month until the period of the year to be to assigned to the templateis presented. If one is assigning a weekly Template, click on any dayand the entire week will be highlighted in the color of the templateselected in your list of templates. If one is assigning a dailytemplate, then click on the day (or days) to be assigned a template. Adaily template can overlap and replace any day(s) already assigned by aweekly template without affecting the schedule of the other days of theweek. It is therefore advisable to first apply weekly templates and thenoverlay daily templates on the dates, which need to be modified. Whenfinished, click OK to save the settings. The schedule for an entireyear, should be reviewed to assure that there are no gaps in theschedule.

[0081] When a customer calls to order a prescription, the program willask them to indicate if it is an urgent request. In such a case, acaller will hear: “If this is an emergency call and your prescriptionmust be picked up immediately, press . . .” Urgent Refills are onlyoffered to customers during business hours. The same templates assignedto the calendar for normal pickups are used to process urgent pickups.However, Urgent Refills have a different (shorter) preparation interval.In the Pickup section of the main Setup window, click on the UrgentRefills button and the Urgent Call Setup: Pickup window will bedisplayed. Click on the arrow button in the Urgent Prescription PickupInterval box and from the drop-down list select a preparation intervalfor Urgent Refills. This interval also determines the period of timebefore closing that Urgent Refills are offered. If one selects a “0.5Hour” from the Interval menu, callers will be offered an Urgent Refilloption until half an hour before closing. One may choose the option totransfer any urgent call that comes in “late-in-the-day” to thepharmacist. To activate this feature, click the Transfer Late UrgentCalls check box. Enter the number of hours before closing, when anyurgent call is considered as “late,” in the Hours before closing textbox. For example, entering a “1” would transfer any emergency call thatis received one hour before closing time to the pharmacist. Whenfinished, click OK to save the settings. An urgent refill order isaccepted by the system before transferring the call.

[0082] After all the setup procedures are completed, the program isready to use. The program provided pull down menus or Toolbar buttons ontop of the screen to perform different functions.

[0083] The Main Screen allows access to all the program's functions andutilities. Getting around the program is easy and intuitive. The upperpart of the screen contains the Menus buttons for the tasks one performsas a user. Most of the features are available through both Toolbarbuttons and menu commands. The Information Window displays all ordersreceived by the system over the telephone. The Phone Lines Buttons underthe Information window show the status of all incoming telephone linesserviced by the system. The Statistics Data Bar at the bottom of Mainscreen displays the Statistics Data and the current time and date.

[0084] The menu bar contains six pull-down menus. The following listsall the options available on the menus: Menu Name Function File MenuTerminal Starts the Terminal Emulation of the existing pharmacymanagement system (non-integrated). The RT system must be connected withthe pharmacy main PC before starting this feature (optional). SetupOpens the main Setup window. Deallocates all the telephony lines. PrintPrints all the information displayed on a screen (available if afull-page printer connected to the system). Exit Exit from the program.Orders Refill Displays only refill orders. Doctor Displays only doctor'sorders. Message Displays only voice messages. Unfilled Display all theorders in the system that have not been marked as filled yet. CurrentDisplays all the orders that are due for the current day. Show AllDisplays all the orders that are currently stored in the system, bothfilled and unfilled. Phone Log Displays the phone log containinginformation about every call processed by the system. Search. . .Enables you to find an order searching by Date, by Type or by RxNumberActions Mark As Filled Marks the selected order as filled. Play VoicePlays Voice Files. Available only if the selected order Files has arecorded voice file. Data Entry Displays the Data Entry window forplaying and transcribing voice messages and/or adding a note to theselected order. Delete Order Deletes the selected order from all screensexcept from the Phone Log screen. Directory Directory Displays theDirectory window where you can type in Customers and Doctors to betransferred directly to the pharmacy or to the Doctor Menu. OutCallPickup Displays the Pickup Reminder Outbound Call window Reminder whereyou can type in Customers to be called by the system to remind them thattheir orders are ready for pickup. Refill Displays the Refill ReminderOutbound Call window Reminder where you can type in Customers to becalled by the system to remind them that their medication is due to berefilled.

[0085] The Toolbar contains buttons, which are graphic representationsof utilities or functions that are available from the main screen. Onemay click on each button to start various commands. Many of theprogram's features are available both through Toolbar buttons and menucommands. The pop up HELP is available for your convenience by pointingthe mouse cursor over a button, which will show a brief description ofthat button's function.

[0086] All information received by the program over the telephone isdisplayed in the table. As soon as new order comes in, one will hear thesound alert on the computer speakers and a new order will be displayedas the first row in the Information Window. New orders are alwayshighlighted in a light green color. After the new order is processed andthe order status is changed to “filled” the order color will beimmediately turned to white. One can scroll through the window clickingby the mouse on the appropriate arrows of the scroll bar and select forfurther processing any order stored in the system. The following is adescription of the elements of Information Window.

[0087] Row Pointer points to the selected row with black arrow locatedon the left side of the window. One can move the pointer by clicking onthe one wants want to select or by pressing the Up or Down Arrows keyson a keyboard.

[0088] Rx Number displays refill numbers in the order they were receivedwith most recent on top of the screen. By clicking on the Rx Numberbutton (on column heading bar) one can sort the orders in ascendingorder by the Rx numbers. The button will change its color to dark gray.

[0089] Call Time displays the date and time the orders have beenreceived in descending order (default). By clicking on the Call Timebutton one may sort the orders by the incoming date and time indescending order. The button will change its color to dark gray.

[0090] Telephone # displays telephone numbers entered by callers wherethey can be reached. By clicking on the Telephone # button one may sortthe orders by the telephone numbers in ascending order. The button willchange its color to dark gray. The program will not prompt a caller toenter the phone number where the caller can be reached in case the RxNumber and the phone number detected by the Caller ID match the samedata previously entered in any of the Outbound Calls tables. In thosecases the caller telephone number will not be displayed in the Telephone# column of the Information Window.

[0091] Caller ID displays the callers' telephone numbers captured by thesystem from the telephone lines. By clicking on the Caller ID button onecan sort the orders by the Caller ID numbers in ascending order. Thebutton will change its color to dark gray. By right clicking on aselected row with the Caller ID telephone number the customer name andthe phone number will pop-up in a gray frame (available if the phonecompany can provide the Caller ID service).

[0092] Type indicates type of service selected by a caller or how thecall has been processed by the system: Pickup indicates that theprescription will be picked up by the customer after due time; Deliveryindicates that customer chose the order be delivered; Urgent—indicatesthat customer will pick up the order in a short period of time; Incomplindicates that customer did not select one of the above or did notlisten up to the end of the call processing and hung up. Messageindicates that voice mail was left in the system. On the Phone Logscreen in addition to all of the above types, may also be shown thefollowing: Rotary indicates calls made from a rotary telephone or bycustomers just staying on the line. Such calls are automaticallytransferred to the pharmacy during working hours or to the voice messagemodule after working hours. Hang up indicates calls where a customer didnot enter Rx number and hung up. Transfer indicates that the call hasbeen transferred to the pharmacy staff. Verif indicates that a customercalled to verify if the order is ready for pickup or delivery. Informindicates that a customer selected to listen to the General Informationabout the pharmacy. Pickup Rem/OK indicates that outbound call to acustomer for pickup reminding has been made successfully. Pickup Rem/BSYindicates that outbound call to a customer for pickup reminding has beenmade but at that time the customer's phone line was busy. The systemwill automatically make four more attempts to call back.

[0093] Pickup Rem/NA indicates that outbound call to a customer forpickup reminding has been made but at that time the call was notanswered. The system will automatically make four more attempts to callback. Rx Rem/OK indicates that an outbound call to a customer for arefill reminder has successfully been made. Rx Rem/BSY indicates that anoutbound call to a customer for a refill reminder has been made but atthat time the customer's phone line was busy. The system willautomatically make four more attempts to call back.

[0094] Rx Rem/NA indicates that outbound call to a customer for refillreminder has been made but at that time the call was not answered. Thesystem will automatically make four more attempts to call back.

[0095] Time Due is the date and time when the prescription is going tobe ready that has been announced to the customer. Date and time due aredetermined according to the set of schedules.

[0096] Voice indicates whether a voice message has been recorded by acaller for the order represented by the row.

[0097] Status shows the information on the current order status. Filledindicates that the order has been processed and ready for pickup ordelivery. All orders not marked as Filled are presumed unfilled. Deletedindicates that an order has been deleted by the pharmacy staff.

[0098] At the left lower corner of the Main screen there is a row ofbuttons that show all the incoming telephone lines serviced by thesystem. Each button controls one incoming telephone line. Theconsecutive number of the telephone line is shown on each button. When agreen light is displayed on the button it means that the line isserviced by the system (allocated) and is free to accept the phone call.If a red light is displayed it means that the line is in service(allocated) and the call is in progress (answered by the system). Whenno light is displayed on the button (the button is blank) it means thatthis particular line is reallocated (not serviced by the system at themoment). To Reallocate the telephone line, click on the buttonrepresenting this line. If the button light is green (the line is free)a dialog box will appear asking for confirmation to reallocate the line.If the button light is red (the line is busy) the system will wait untilthe phone line becomes free (in order not to interrupt the conversation)and only then a dialog box will appear. Select Yes to reallocate theline, or No to keep the line allocated. If one selects Yes, the messagewindow will appear Wait, while the line is reallocated. Then the linebutton becomes blank. To Allocate the telephone line, click on the blankbutton representing this line. A dialog box will appear asking forconfirmation to allocate the line. Select Yes to allocate the line, orNo to keep the line reallocated. If one selects Yes, the message boxwill appear asking Wait while the line is allocated. Then a green lightwill appear on the line button. When the line is allocated the systemanswers calls after two rings. When the line is reallocated the systemdoes not answer calls and transfers them to the pharmacy after fourrings.

[0099] Statistics Data Bar are located on the bottom of the Main screen.There are six windows displaying different counters regarding the systemactivity. From left to right, the following data are displayed: CallsToday, Refills Today, Doctors Today, Messages Today show the totalnumber of calls, refill and doctors orders and messages for the currentday respectively. Unfilled shows the total number of unfilled orders inthe system. The current time is displayed on the right end of the barand the current date will immediately pop up if one points the mousecursor to the current time. As orders are received and filled, thecounters will be automatically updated.

[0100] To exit the program click the Exit button on the Toolbar, orchoose Exit from the File menu or press ALT+F4.

[0101] Once orders are received, there are many different ways todisplay them. Orders are displayed on the Main screen in the InformationWindow. The program a record of all filled and unfilled orders for up toseven days from the day they were received. Click on the Orders menu. Inpull down menu there are a number of options display the orders on thescreen. Click one of the menu options or one of the buttons on theToolbar as follows: Refill to display only refill orders; Doctor todisplay only doctor's orders; Message to display only voice messages;Unfilled to display all the orders in the system which have not beenmarked as filled yet; Current to display all the orders which are duefor the current day; Show All to display all the orders that arecurrently stored in the system, both filled and unfilled; Phone Log todisplay the phone log containing information about every call in thesystem.

[0102] By default all the orders on the screen are displayed in theorder they were received (sorted by date and time in descending order).The most recent order is always on top of the screen. To view the orderssorted in a different way one may click on the heading button of thecolumn by which one desires to sort the orders. After sort, the systemremembers the sort order and uses it in the future when displaying eachof the above screens. The sort order is indicated by the color of columnbutton, which turns to dark gray. One may sort orders by: Rx Number(ascending order); Call Time (descending order); Telephone # (ascendingorder); Caller ID (ascending order); Time Due (descending order); Status(ascending order). Use the scroll bar to move through the InformationWindow. One can also use keyboard shortcuts to move through theInformation Window, such as the arrow and PgUp/PgDn keys.

[0103] The Search menu provides the tools for finding a specific orderusing a variety of search criteria. Click on the Orders menu. Click onthe Search option. On the next pull down menu choose a search method byclicking one of the following: by Date to search based on the date theprescriptions are due; by Type to search based on the type ofprescription (Pickup, Delivery, Urgent, Incomplete, Doctor, Message); orby Rx Number to search by the specific Rx number of the prescription.After a search, the search results will be displayed on the Main screen.On the next pull down menu narrow the search by specifying the type oforder. Click one of the following: The type of order: Pickup, Delivery,Urgent, Incomplete, and Doctor; Message to search through the voicemessages; All to search through all the types of orders.

[0104] If searching by Date, the system displays the Date Selectionscreen. Use the scroll bar to find the month and click the day of thatmonth. Click OK to display all orders that were due on the selecteddate. If searching by Type, the system displays all refill orders ofthat type on the Main screen. If searching by Rx Number, the systemdisplays the Rx Number Selection screen. Choose the Rx number from thelist by clicking on it and click OK to display the details of the order.

[0105] After completing an order, one marks the order as Filled on theMain screen. This changes the order status from Unfilled to Filled. Ifone is displaying only Unfilled orders, the row will disappear from theMain screen when marked as Filled. Select the order filled by clickingon the row in the Information Window of the Main screen (the rowpointer, a black arrow, will point to that row which is highlighted inlight green color). Click on the Mark As Filled button on the Toolbar orselect the Mark As Filled from the Actions menu. The row will change itscolor to white and order status will be marked as Filled. If one changesthe status of an order from Unfilled to Filled and needs to change itback for some reason, click on the Show Current or Show All buttons onthe Toolbar and display the Current or All Orders screens. Select theMarked As Filled order whose status is to be changed back by clicking onthe appropriate row. Click on the Clear Status button (which is the sameMark As Filled button crossed now by the red line) on the Toolbar orunder the Actions menu select the option Clear Status. The row willchange its color back to light green and the order status to unfilled(the status field is blank).

[0106] To delete orders, select the order to be deleted by clicking onthe row in the Information Window of the Main screen (the row pointer, ablack arrow, will point to that row). Click on the Delete Order buttonon the Toolbar, or select Delete Order from the Actions menu. A dialogbox will appear asking for confirmation to delete the order. Select Yesto delete the order, or No to keep the order in the system. If Yes, theorder status will be changed to Deleted. The deleted order will bedisplayed on the screen (in case it is deleted by mistake so that it canbe undeleted immediately) until a new order comes or one selects anotherscreen. Then the deleted order will be shown only on the Phone Logscreen. All deleted orders are stored in the system and displayed on thePhone Log screen where they can be accessed.

[0107] If an order was mistakenly deleted, click on the Phone Log buttonon the Toolbar. The Phone Log screen will be displayed. Select thedeleted order by clicking on it. Click on the Undo Delete button on theToolbar or select an Undo Delete option from the Actions menu. The orderwill change its status to Unfilled (the status field is blank) and willappear on all screens highlighted in light green color.

[0108] If one has activated the Ask for Refill Message option in theSetup, then any customer who wishes to leave any instructions for thepharmacy staff or include additional items with their order will beoffered the option of leaving a voice message specifying their request.The system indicates that a Refill Message has been left if a Yesappears in the Voice column of the Information Window for this refillorder. To retrieve the recording of the Refill Message, select an orderthat includes Refill Message by simply clicking on the row of theInformation Window. Click on the Play Voice Files button on the Toolbaror select Play Voice Files option from the Actions menu to hear therecording. If one desired to make a note or transcribe the RefillMessage and print it out for reference, click on the Data Entry buttonon the Toolbar and the Refill screen will be displayed. On the Refillscreen one may play voice file by clicking on the Play, Stop, Start,Back, Forward or End buttons; type the information that was recorded inthe Memo window; print the typed in information by clicking on the Printbutton. Choose the printer to print the typed in information by clickingon the Print Setup button (available only if a full-page printer isconnected to the system).

[0109] If one activated the Doctor's Orders option in the Setup, thesystem will provide a Main voice menu item “Doctors Only Press . . .”where doctors or their assistants will be prompted to record refillauthorizations or a general voice message. Doctor's orders are displayedon the Doctor Orders or All screens with type “Doctor” and blank “RxNumber field. When at least one voice file has been recorded there willbe “Yes” in the Voice column. To work with the Doctor's order, selectDoctor's order by clicking on the row in the Information Window. One maylisten to all the information recorded by the doctor by clicking on thePlay Voice Files button on the Toolbar or by selecting Play Voice Filesoption from the Actions menu. To control the play back of the voice fileand/or transcribe the information that was recorded, click on the DataEntry button on the Toolbar. The Doctor screen will be displayed. On theDoctor screen one may; play voice file by clicking on the Play, Stop,Start, Back, Forward or End buttons; type the information that wasrecorded in the Memo window; print the Doctor Order by clicking on thePrint button; choose the printer to print the typed in information byclicking on the Print Setup button (available only if a full-pageprinter is connected to the system). As Doctors may record prescriptioninformation for unlimited number of patients in one recording, one mayplay and type in the patient's name, address and telephone number andprescription information for each patient individually.

[0110] Depending on the setting chosen in the Receipt Printer Setup andthe type of printer used, the orders may be printed as follows. With thenarrow receipt printer, the system will automatically print every orderreceived. When one clicks on the Print button on the Refill or Doctorscreens, the order will be reprinted including the typed information.With a regular full-page printer the system will not automatically printevery incoming order. One may print orders in full page format at anytime as follows, choose the screen (Unfilled, Refills, Doctors, PhoneLog, etc.) to be printed by clicking on the appropriate button on theToolbar or by selecting from the Orders menu. One may also use theSearch option from the Orders menu to print orders sorted by Type or byDate. Under the File menu, click on Print. The Print window appears witha list of the printers that are connected. Select the desired printer byclicking on it (it remains as the printer in use until a differentprinter is selected). To print the orders displayed on the screen clickon the Print button in the Print window. The system prints a full-pagedocument on the printer. For convenience once a printer is selected, onecan also use the Print button on the Toolbar at the top of the mainscreen for all screen printing. A full-page document will be printed onthe previously selected printer. In the Receipt Printer modem theprinter must be maintained on line otherwise the printing error box willappear on the screen and all the incoming orders will be kept in queue.

[0111] If one selected the Activate Voice Messaging option in Setup,then customers may just leave a voice message for the pharmacy staffwithout placing an order. All voice messages received are stored in thesystem and can be retrieved through the speakers and/or headphones asfollows: select a Voice Message by clicking on the row of theInformation Window. Click on the Play Voice Files button on the Toolbaror select Play Voice Files option from the Actions menu to hear therecording. If one would like to make a note or transcribe the Messageand print it out for reference, click on the Data Entry button on theToolbar and the Message screen will be displayed. On the Message screenone may play the voice file by clicking on the Play, Stop, Start, Back,Forward or End buttons. Type the information that was recorded in theMemo window. Print the typed in information by clicking on the Printbutton. Choose the printer to print the typed information by clicking onthe Print Setup button (available only if a full-page printer isconnected to the system).

[0112] In order to provide more flexible and personalized service tocustomers and doctors, the program has the Directory of callers who forsome reason are not comfortable using the system and who need to betransferred directly to the pharmacy staff entirely bypassing thesystem. The Directory also the doctors' calls to be routed directly tothe Doctor's Voice Menu thus bypassing the Main Voice Menu. Routing thedoctors who use the system frequently and who prefer to be immediatelyrouted to the Doctor's Voice Menu will substantially reduce the time oftheir interaction with the system.

[0113] To Add a new customer or doctor to the Directory, click onDirectory menu on the Menus bar. The Directory window will appear. Clickon the Name text box to place the cursor there. Enter the customer ordoctor's name in the Name box. Press TAB on the keyboard or click on theTelephone text box. Enter the customer's or doctor's phone numberincluding the area code in the Telephone text box. The Add button willbecome enabled. The local area code will always be present in thebrackets in the Telephone text box. If the customer's or doctor's phonenumber has an area code different from the local area code one caneasily erase the existing area code and type a new one over it. PressTAB or click on the Note text box. Enter the doctor's office name orcomments about the customer in the Note text box. Press TAB or click onthe Type drop-down list box. Select Transfer to route all future callsfrom this customer or doctor directly to pharmacy phones bypassing thesystem or select Doctor to route all future calls from this doctordirectly to the Doctor's Voice Menu. Click on the Add button to enterthe new record in the Directory. It will appear as the top line in thewindow table. Click on the Exit button to close the Directory and savethe record. For doctor's offices and customers who have multipletelephone lines which they might use to call to a pharmacy, all phonenumbers for those lines have to be entered into the Directory.

[0114] To Edit the existing record in the Directory, click on theDirectory menu on the Menus bar. The Directory window will appear. Clickon the row with the record you want to edit (the row pointer, a blackarrow, will point to that row). The information from the selected recordwill appear in the text boxes for editing. The Edit button will becomeenabled. One may change the Name, Note and Type of the selected record.Click on the Edit button to change the existing record and all thechanges will appear in the selected row. Click on the Exit button toclose the Directory. For quickly finding a specific record, sort therecords by clicking on the heading button of the column which is to besorted and display the records. The sort order is indicated by the colorof the column button, which turns to dark gray. One may sort records byName, Office or Telephone in ascending order.

[0115] To Add additional telephone numbers for the same caller, click onthe Directory menu on the Menus bar. The Directory window will appear.Click on the row with the record to be changed (the row pointer, a blackarrow, will point to that row). The information from the selected recordwill appear in the text boxes. Change the Telephone number of theselected record. The Add button will become enabled. One may also editthe rest of information for this record. Click on the Add button to addan additional telephone number for the same caller. Click on the Exitbutton to close the Directory.

[0116] To Delete the existing record in the Directory, select the recordto delete by clicking on the row in the Directory (the row pointer, ablack arrow, will point to that row). Click on the Delete button. Adialog box will appear asking for confirmation to delete the record.Select Yes to delete the record, or No to keep the record in theDirectory. Select Yes, the record will be deleted. Click on the Exitbutton to close the Directory.

[0117] The Outbound Calls feature allows the system to automaticallyplace reminder calls at certain times to the customers whose refills areready but have not been picked up or whose prescriptions are due forrefill. After the system places the automated call the result of thecall appears in the Result column of the Outbound Call directories. OKindicates that outbound call to a customer has been made successfully(the customer answered the call or a message has been left on thecustomer's answering machine). Pickup, Delivery or Incompl indicate thatoutbound call to a customer for refill reminding has been madesuccessfully and the customer has immediately ordered the prescriptionduring the outbound call. Calls 1, 2 or 3 indicates that outbound callsto a customer have been made one, two or three times but the customer'sphone line was busy or not answered at those times. The system willautomatically make up to four attempts to call back. NG indicates thatoutbound calls to a customer have been made but after four attempts thecalls have not gone through.

[0118] Refill Reminder calls customers and reminds them that theirprescription is due to be refilled. After the outbound calls schedule inthe Refill Reminder directory is created, the system automatically callsto the customers at a scheduled time using the designated phone linesand informs them that a certain prescription (Rx Number) is due forrefill. The customer has an option to place a refill order immediatelyduring the outbound call, scheduling a pickup or a delivery.

[0119] To Add a new customer or a new Rx Number to the Refill Reminderdirectory, select Refill Reminder from the OutCall menu. The RefillReminder Outbound Call window appears. Enter the customer's name in theName text box. Press TAB on the keyboard or click on the Telephone textbox. Type the customer's phone number including the area code in thisfield. The local area code will always be present in the brackets in theTelephone text box. It can be changed by erasing the existing local areacode and entering a phone number with a different area code. Press TABor click on the Rx Number text box. Enter the Rx Number of theprescription, which is due to be refilled. The Add button will becomeenabled. Click on the Add button to enter the new record in the RefillReminder directory. By default it will appear in the directory in thesorted by name row to be called at the scheduled date and time (as ithas been previously scheduled in the Setup). Click on the Exit button toclose the Refill Reminder directory. Every Rx Number for each customerhas to be entered as a separate record. To enter a duplicate record, adialog box will appear asking for confirmation to update the duplicatedrecord. Select Yes to update the record, or No to keep the record in theDirectory. If Yes, the outbound call will be scheduled at the defaultdate and time (as it has been previously scheduled in the Setup).

[0120] To Edit the existing record in the Refill Reminder directory,select Refill Reminder from the OutCall menu. The Refill ReminderOutbound Call window appears. Click on the row with the record for edit(the row pointer, a black arrow, will point to that row). Theinformation from the selected record will appear in the text boxes forediting. The Add and Edit buttons will become enabled. For quicklyfinding the specific record, sort the records by clicking on the headingbutton of the column for sort and display the records. The sort order isindicated by the color of the column button, which turns to dark gray.One may sort records by Rx Number, Telephone or Name in ascending order.One may make changes in the Rx Number, Telephone or Name text boxes forthe selected record. Click on the Edit button to change the existingrecord and all the changes will appear in the selected row to be calledat the default date and time. Click on the Add button to add anadditional record for the same customer. By default it will appear inthe directory in the sorted by name row to be called at the scheduleddate and time. Click on the Call field of the selected row to change thecall status and the arrow button will appear. Click on the Arrow buttonand a drop-down list box will appear. Select “Y” for making an outboundcall at the default date and time. Select “N” to cancel a call for thisrecord (can be change to “Y” at a later time). Click on the Date fieldto edit the date of calling out Date window will be displayed. Use thescroll bar to find the month and click on the desired day of that month.Click OK and the selected date will appear in the Date field of theselected row. Click the time field of the selected row to edit ascheduled time for calling out. It will bring up a Time window with theFrom field highlighted. First click on the hour the program is to startcalling out to customers. Then click on the minutes past the hour fromthe Minutes (Min.) row. If minutes are not chosen, double click on thehour. The To field will be automatically highlighted. Select the timethe program is to stop calling out. The Time window will beautomatically closed and the scheduled period of time will appear in theselected Time field. Click on the Exit button to close the RefillReminder directory.

[0121] To Delete the existing record in the Directory, select the recordto be deleted by clicking on the row in the Refill Reminder directory(the row pointer, a black arrow, will point to that row). Click on theDelete button. A dialog box will appear asking for confirmation todelete the record. Select Yes to delete the record, or No to keep therecord. If Yes, the record will be deleted. Click on the Exit button toclose the Refill Reminder directory.

[0122] One may make automated calls to customers whose refills are readybut have not been picked up. The process of using the Pickup ReminderOutbound the same as Refill Reminder Outbound Calls.

[0123] To Add a new customer or a new Rx Number to the Pickup Reminderdirectory, select Pickup Reminder from the OutCall menu. The PickupReminder Outbound Call window appears. Follow the steps for adding a NewRecord, above.

[0124] To Edit the existing record in the Pickup Reminder directory,select Pickup Reminder from the OutCall menu. The Pickup ReminderOutbound Call window appears. Follow steps for editing the record,above.

[0125] To Delete the existing record in the Directory, select the recordto be deleted by clicking on the row in the Pickup Reminder directory(the row pointer, a black arrow, will point to that row). Follow thesteps for Deleting the Record, above.

[0126] The remote prescription refill system of the present inventiondiffers from the stand-alone system in that a number of functions areallocated to a remote location. In the remote system of the presentinvention, the call answering feature of the invention can betransferred to a central station. Appropriate computer equipment andassociated software is in place at the central station to permit refillorder information to be obtained at the central station. This refillorder information can then be forwarded to the pharmacy in any of anumber of ways.

[0127] As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 1, a caller calling thepharmacy can be dealt with in one of four different ways depending onhow the user pre-sets the functions of the system.

[0128] In Case 1, the Pharmacy main phone line is call forwarded to thecentral station telephone number when the pharmacy is closed. In Case 2,the Pharmacy main phone line is call forwarded to the central stationtelephone number temporarily during peak periods. In Case 3, if allpharmacy lines are busy overflow calls are forwarded to the centralstation telephone number. In Case 4, the Pharmacy has designated thecentral station telephone number as the refill phone line seven days aweek, twenty-four hours a day.

[0129] The central station automatically processes, receives, schedulesand transmits the refill pharmacy orders. The central station can refillorder information in any of a number of ways. For example, allafter-hours orders can be transmitted. in a batch, when the pharmacyopens, or the central station can transmit orders at specified intervalsduring pharmacy working hours, or the central station can transmitorders when the pharmacist calls to retrieve the orders.

[0130] Orders can be sent by the central station to the pharmacy in oneor more of a number of ways such as via telefax, or via modem to apharmacy PC programmed to receive the orders over the Internet or viae-mail, or on a pharmacy pager, or in some combination. If a PC is usedby the pharmacy, a portion of the stand-alone software is utilized topermit the pharmacist to view the orders and to hear voice messages.

[0131] The present invention also differs from the stand-alone system inthat there is no need for hardware or software resident in theindividual pharmacy receiving telephone calls. Rather, calls coming toall or selected telephone lines in the pharmacy can be forwarded via atoll-free number to the central station's central server, where ordersfor prescription refills can be input via the customer's touch tonetelephone buttons and/or voice messages can be recorded. These ordersare then forwarded to the pharmacy in one of the desired manners.

[0132] To the customer or doctor whose call is answered by the remoterefill systems of the present invention, it appears as if a computer inthe pharmacy is answering the call. He/she can key in one or more Rxnumbers and/or leave a voice message with special instructions such asadditional items to be included in the order. The pharmacist has anoption to record sale promotion announcements and change them at anytime. The present invention can also provide multilanguage support topharmacy customers.

[0133] In the remote system invention, most of the setup functions andoptions described in connection with the stand-alone system are nowresident in central server rather then in a computer resident in thepharmacy, and are performed, where necessary, by central stationpersonnel rather than the pharmacy staff.

[0134] The detailed operations of the remote refill system of thepresent invention for the customer, the pharmacy subscriber and thecentral station staff are hereinafter described.

[0135] When a pharmacy implements service under the present invention,the pharmacy receives a specific telephone number, preferably atoll-free number to a central station to which a pharmacy calls will beforwarded. Additionally, the pharmacy will obtain a password for ordersretrieval. The system is then available to be used by the pharmacy in anumber of different ways, at the option of the pharmacy staff:

[0136] After-hours Service: To take refill orders and/or voice messageswhen the pharmacy is closed, the pharmacy must order the Call Forwardingfeature from the local telephone company for the main pharmacy telephoneline and activate it when the pharmacy is closed.

[0137] Overflow Service: To answer “overflow” calls—that is, when duringworking hours all pharmacy telephone lines are busy or not beinganswered, the system of the present invention can be used to answer thecalls and either take a refill order and/or allow the customer or doctorto leave a voice message. For this service the pharmacy must order “CallForwarding-Busy Line/Don't Answer” from the local telephone company, andwhen all lines are in use or are not being answered, all incoming callswill be automatically forwarded to a pre-set toll-free telephone numberat the central station.

[0138] Peak Time Service: To answer all telephone calls to a pharmacyand take refill orders and/or ask the customer or doctor to leave avoice message (used mostly when the staff is too busy to answer thetelephone during peak periods of store activity), regular CallForwarding is needed for the main telephone line and can be activatedwhen needed.

[0139] Dedicated Refill Line Service: To answer all calls to a separatetoll free telephone line advertised by the pharmacy as the special“refill line” to call when the customer wishes to only order aprescription refill (with an optional voice message attached to theorder), the pharmacy needs to advertise, as a special refill line, thetoll free number provided by the central station.

[0140] During log on for the invention, the pharmacist should providethe following data to be entered into the setup of the pharmacy accountin the central server: the pharmacy name, approved texts of initialgreeting, general information and after-hours announcements to beprofessionally recorded and uploaded into the central server; thepharmacy's local area code and voice phone numbers; the work schedulefor a regular week and for all holidays when the pharmacy is open (FIG.6.); all holidays and other specific days when the pharmacy is closed(FIG. 5); length of refill identification number; length of customerphone number (with or without area code); prescription preparationinterval for scheduling refill pickup or delivery; select foreignlanguages if multilingual support is desired; the pharmacy FAX numberand/or the modem telephone line number and/or pharmacy pager numberand/or e-mail address for order transmission.

[0141] When the central service setup is complete by the central stationstaff and the service is activated, the server is ready to receive thecall in orders and messages at any time, 24 hours a day. At specifiedintervals, this central server automatically calls the pharmacy andtransmits all the orders to the pharmacy that have arrived since thelast time orders were transmitted such transmission can take place inone of five ways:

[0142] 1. To a fax machine. 2. To a personal computer at the pharmacy bymodem. The pharmacy, utilizing a portion of the software from thestand-alone version can handle and utilize the information in much thesame way as the stand-alone system, despite the fact that the refillorders re being placed at a remote location. Thus, all orders appear ona monitor (through modem dial-up connection or over the Internet). 3. Toa pharmacy numeric and alpha-numeric pager (which can also be used as aalternative way of communication in emergency cases and when pharmacyFAX or modem does not respond). 4. To a pharmacy e-mail address (ifany). Alternatively, the refill order information can remain at thecentral station and be retrieved by the pharmacy by calling in to thecentral station.

[0143] Where a voice message is attached to the order, it is soindicated in the order transmitted to the pharmacy report and thepharmacy staff can call the central station at the same toll free numberto retrieve the messages and/or orders as they are saved in the centralcomputer. With the client software installed in the pharmacy PC, voicemessages can be retrieved through the PC speakers by pointing andclicking on the order. Client software installed in the pharmacy PC is ashort but a full multimedia version of the stand-alone version of thesoftware and includes modem and e-mail communication modules.

[0144] The central station, service center, is a centralized facilitywhere s single computer could be located or specialized servers couldcommunicate over a LAN. Each server or group of servers performsspecific functions and exchanges information with other servers. In apreferred embodiment, the invention consists of the following servers:Database Server (DS)—dedicated Windows NT server running Microsoft SQLServer DBMS. DS hosts the database Refill that stores all the data onthe system. A number of SQL Server stored procedures are used toretrieve and manage data. There are the following tables in Refilldatabase: Lines—the table contains configuration and description of allthe servers on the system. Also is used to reconfigure servers byallocating or deallocating lines. Refill—main table that stores all theorders and other call information. CommPorts—table that sets theconfiguration of communication ports on all the servers. There are fewother auxiliary programs that reside on Database server: Setup with MSAccess Setup Database (SD). SD resides on DS but can be accessed andmodified from any computer on the network that has a client copy ofSetup program and proper access authority. SQLMonitor—program thatconstantly monitors the status of all the servers on the network andproduces the pager alert if any of the servers do not respond properly.Telephony/Fax Server (TFS)—computer that takes telephone refill orders,doctors' scripts and voice messages for the pharmacy staff and sends thefax with Transaction Log to the store. Multiple TFSs are connected to DSvia the LAN. TFS is the Windows NT client with multiple Dialogictelephony and fax boards installed. Up to three T1 telephone lines willterminate at each TFS. TFSs can only communicate and exchange data withDS.

[0145] The following programs are running on the TFS:T1VoiceFaxManager—server program that monitors and supervises up to 72telephone lines (T1 time slots) for accepting the incoming and outgoingtelephone and fax calls. T1VoiceFax—client program that handles onespecific telephone line (T1 time slot) and actually processes incomingand outgoing voice and fax calls. Up to 72 T1VoiceFax programs can runon each TFS. Modem Server (MS)—computer that transmits transactions(including digitized voice files) taken by TFS to workstation in thepharmacy. Transactions can then be accessed through client GUI screens.Multiple MSs are connected to DS via the LAN. MS is the Windows NTclient with multiple analog or digital modems installed. MSs can onlycommunicate and exchange data with DS. The following programs arerunning on the TFS: T1ModemManager—server program that monitors andsupervises all modem connections. T1Modem—client programs that actuallytransmit data through individual communication port. Internet Server(IS)—computer that hosts RT Web site. Pharmacy customers can log on tothe Web site from anywhere in the world and order their prescriptionrefills. Orders, entered through the Internet are inserted into theRefill database on DS and the pharmacy can be notified either via fax(VFS) or modem (MS).

[0146] The Initial Announcement is the first announcement customers hearwhen they access the invention. At least one initial announcement shouldalways be present. The General Announcement is a feature that mayprovide callers with general information about the pharmacy (e.g.,hours, directions, promotional and sale information etc.) TheAfter-Hours Announcements will only be played when the store is closedand provides callers with after-hours emergency related information.

[0147] The present invention requests customers' phone numbers in casethey need to be reached. The “Seven Digits” customer phone number in thesign up sheet is chosen if the pharmacy services a local region withonly one area code and one does not want to request an area code withthe customer's phone number. The “Ten Digits” customer phone number inthe sign up sheet is chosen if the pharmacy serves customers from morethan one area code region

[0148] The invention requires that the number of digits in the Rx Numberused in the Pharmacy (any number between 3 and 10 excluding letters,preceding or succeeding if any) be specified. The invention willvalidate a customer's entry to ensure the correct number of digits hasbeen punched in. If necessary (for example, if one uses Rx numbers oftwo different lengths) one may choose a variable length for the Rxnumber. If the variable length of the Rx number is chosen, the systemwill prompt customers to follow the input of the Rx number by the “#”sign. In any case, the system will play back to customers the entered Rxnumbers for verification.

[0149] To start the resident version of the invention, i.e., where thereis a PC at the pharmacy utilizing the “front-end” of the software, turnthe power on to start the computer. On the Windows desktop screen clickon the Start button. Click on Programs and then click on the invention'sicon. When the program starts, it displays the title screen briefly andthen the main screen appears. It is important to check that thecomputer's date and time settings are correct before starting theinvention.

[0150] To access the Setup screen, click on File—Setup and the Setupscreen will be displayed. When you finished, click OK to save thesettings.

[0151] Pharmacy Name (FIG. 2)—When first starting the invention, enterthe pharmacy name in the Setup window by typing the name of the pharmacyinto the Pharmacy Name text box.

[0152] New Order Sound Alert (FIG. 2)—When a new order is received, itsarrival may be immediately announced by a sound from computer speakers.Check the New Order—Sound Alert check box to activate this feature.

[0153] Storing Orders (FIG. 5)—The choose the number of days' worth oforders (from 2 to 7 days) that will be stored in the system anddisplayed on the main screen may be chosen. Click on the Days to Storetext box and delete the existing number. Type in the desired number ofdays for storing orders in the system.

[0154] Printing (FIG. 4)—There are two different ways of printing ordersin the invention, Receipt Printing and Full-page Printing.

[0155] Receipt Printing—All orders are printed automatically on thereceipt (cash register type) printer in the form of order slip as soonas they are received. Click on the arrow in the Receipt Printer list boxand select the desired receipt printer from the drop-down choices toenable this feature. If printing is not needed, choose option “NoPrinter.”

[0156] Full-Page Printing—The invention can print in the full-pageformat on any printer connected to the computer and installed in theWindows system. In full-page printing mode orders sorted on the MainScreen can be printed in a variety of way (refills, filled, doctor'sorders, messages, etc.) in full-page format.

[0157]FIG. 3 is the Options screen wherein the address of pharmacy isinput, the amount of the phone number digits can be requested (seven orten), and other options can be set. FIG. 4 is the announcement screenwhere announcements can be selected. FIG. 5 is the holiday schedulescreen where holidays can be selected. FIG. 7 is the pharmacy schedulescreen where the pharmacy schedule can be set.

[0158] After the setup procedures, are complete, the invention operatesusing either pull down menus or the Toolbar buttons on top of the screento perform different functions. The Main Screen allows access all thefunctions and utilities. The upper part of the screen contains the Menusand the Toolbar buttons for the tasks. Most of the features areavailable through both Toolbar buttons and menu commands. TheInformation Window displays all orders received by the system over thetelephone. The Statistics Data Bar at the bottom of Main screen displaysthe Statistics Data.

[0159] The menu bar contains four pull-down menus. The following tablelists all the options available on the menus. Menu Name Function FileMenu Setup Opens the main Setup window. Deallocates all the telephonylines. Print Prints all the information displayed on a screen (availableif a full-page printer connected to the system). Exit Exit from theprogram. Orders Doctor Displays only doctor's orders. Message Displaysonly voice messages. Unfilled Display all the orders in the system thathave not been marked as filled yet. Current Displays all the orders thatare due for the current day. Show All Displays all the orders that arecurrently stored in the system, both filled and unfilled. Phone LogDisplays the phone log containing information about every order receivedby the system. Actions Mark As Filled Marks the selected order asfilled. Play Voice Plays Voice Files. Available only if the selectedorder Files has a recorded voice file. Data Entry Displays the DataEntry window for playing and transcribing voice messages and/or adding anote to the selected order. Delete Order Deletes the selected order fromall screens except from the Phone Log screen.

[0160] The Toolbar contains buttons, which are graphic representation ofutilities or functions of the invention that are available from the mainscreen. Each button starts various commands. The pop up help isavailable by pointing the mouse cursor over a button, which will show abrief description of that button's function.

[0161] All information received by the invention over the telephone isdisplayed in the table. As soon as a new order comes in, a sound alerton the computer speakers is generated and a new order(s) will bedisplayed as the first row(s) in the Information Window. New orders arealways highlighted by color. After processing the new order and changingthe order status to “filled” the order color is immediately changed.

[0162] Row Pointer points to the selected row with black arrow locatedon the left side of the window. Move the pointer by clicking on the rowto be selected or by pressing the Up or Down Arrows keys on a keyboard.

[0163] Rx Number (FIGS. 8-9) displays refill numbers in the orderreceived with most recent on top of the screen. Clicking on the RxNumber button (on column heading bar), sorts the orders in ascendingorder by the Rx numbers. The button changes its color.

[0164] Call Time (FIGS. 8-9) displays the date and time the orders havebeen received in descending order (default). Clicking on the Call Timebutton sorts the orders by the incoming date and time in descendingorder. The button will changes its color.

[0165] Telephone # (FIGS. 8-9) displays telephone numbers entered bycallers where they can be reached. Clicking on the Telephone # buttonsorts the orders by the telephone numbers in ascending order. The buttonwill change its color.

[0166] Type (FIGS. 8-9) indicates type of service selected by a calleror how the call has been processed by the system; Pickup indicates thatthe prescription will be picked up by the customer after due time;Delivery indicates that customer chose that the order be delivered;Incompl indicates that customer did not select one of the above or didnot listen up to the end of the call processing and hung up.

[0167] Doctor indicates Doctor's call.

[0168] Message indicates that voice mail was left in the system.

[0169] On the Phone Log screen in addition to all of the above types,may also be shown the following: Rotary indicates calls made from arotary telephone or by customers just staying on the line. Such callsare automatically routed to the voice message module. Hang up indicatescalls where a customer did not enter Rx number and hung up. “Inform”indicates that a customer selected to listen to the General Informationabout the pharmacy.

[0170] Time Due (FIGS. 8-9) shows date and time when the prescription isgoing to be ready that has been announced to the customer. Date and timedue are determined according to the set of schedules programmed in theinvention.

[0171] Voice (FIGS. 8-9) indicates if a voice message has been recordedby a caller for the order represented by the row.

[0172] Status (FIGS. 8-9) shows the information on the current orderstatus. Filled indicates that the order has been processed and ready forpickup or delivery. All orders that are not marked as Filled arepresumed unfilled. Deleted indicates that an order has been deleted bythe pharmacy staff.

[0173] Statistics Data Bar (FIGS. 8-9) On the bottom of the Main screenthere are six windows displaying different counters regarding the systemactivity. From left to right, the following data are displayed: CallsToday, Refills Today, Doctors Today, Messages Today show the totalnumber of calls, refill and doctors orders and messages for the currentday respectively. Unfilled shows the total number of unfilled orders inthe system. As orders are received and filled, the counters will beautomatically updated.

[0174] Orders may be sorted and viewed in different ways. Orders aredisplayed on the Main screen in the Information Window. The inventionkeeps a record of all filled and unfilled orders for up to seven daysfrom the day they were received.

[0175] Click one of the following menu options or one of the followingbuttons on the Toolbar (FIG. 9): Refill to display only refill orders;Doctor to display only doctor's orders; Message to display only voicemessages; Unfilled to display all the orders in the system which havenot yet been marked as filled; Current to display all the orders whichare due for the current day; Show All to display all the orders that arecurrently stored in the system, both filled and unfilled; and Phone Logto display the log containing information about every order in thesystem including deleted ones.

[0176] By default all the orders on the screen are displayed in theorder received (sorted by date and time in descending order). The mostrecent order is always on top of the screen. To view the orders sortedin a different way, click on the heading button of the column by whichthe orders are to be sorted. After the sort, the invention remembers thesort order chosen and uses it in future when displaying each of theabove screens. The sort order is indicated by the color of columnbutton. Orders can be sorted by: Rx Number (ascending order); Call Time(descending order); Telephone # (ascending order); Time Due (descendingorder); Status (ascending order).

[0177] After completing an order, it is marked as Filled on the Mainscreen. This changes the order status from Unfilled to Filled. Ifdisplaying only Unfilled orders, the row will disappear from the Mainscreen when marked as Filled. Select the order filled by clicking on therow in the Information Window of the Main screen (the row pointer, ablack arrow, will point to that row which is highlighted in color).Click on the Mark As Filled button on the Toolbar or select the Mark AsFilled from the Actions menu. The row will change its color and orderstatus will be marked as Filled. If the status of an order from Unfilledto Filled must be changed back, click on the Show Current or Show Allbuttons on the Toolbar and display the Current or All Orders screens.Select the Marked As Filled order whose status is to be changed back byclicking on the appropriate row. Click on the Clear Status button (whichis the same Mark As Filled button crossed now by a red line) on theToolbar or under the Actions menu select the option Clear Status. Therow changes its color back to its original color and the order status tounfilled (the status field is blank).

[0178] To delete an order, select the order to be deleted by clicking onthe row in the Information Window of the Main screen (the row pointer, ablack arrow, will point to that row). Click on the Delete Order buttonon the Toolbar, or select Delete Order from the Actions menu. A dialogbox will appear asking confirmation to delete the order. Select Yes todelete the order, or No to keep the order in the system. If Yes, theorder status will be changed to Deleted. The deleted order will bedisplayed on the screen (in case it was deleted by mistake and wouldlike to undelete it immediately) until a new order comes or anotherscreen is selected. Then the deleted order will be shown only on thePhone Log screen. All deleted orders are stored in the system anddisplayed on the Phone Log screen where they can be accessed. If anorder was deleted by mistake and would like to reverse this action,click on the Phone Log button on the Toolbar. The Phone Log screen willbe displayed. Select the deleted order by clicking on it (for quicklyfinding the deleted order sort orders by status by clicking on thecolumn Status button). Click on the Undo Delete button on the Toolbar orselect an Undo Delete option from the Actions menu. The order willchange its status to Unfilled (the status field is blank) and willappear on all screens highlighted in a color.

[0179] Any customer who wishes to leave any instructions for thepharmacy staff or include additional items with their order will beoffered the option of leaving a voice message specifying their request.The invention indicates that a Refill Message has been left if a Yesappears in the Voice column of the Information Window for this refillorder. To retrieve the recording of the Refill Message, select an orderthat includes Refill Message by clicking on the row of the InformationWindow. Click on the Play Voice Files button on the Toolbar or selectPlay Voice Files option from the Actions menu to hear the recording. Tomake a note or transcribe the Refill Message and print it out forreference, click on the Data Entry button on the Toolbar and the Refillwindow will be displayed.

[0180] On the Refill window one may play the voice file by clicking onthe Play, Stop, Start, Back, Forward or End buttons; type theinformation that was recorded in the text window; or print the orderwith the typed in information by clicking on the Print button. Choosethe printer to print the order with the typed in information by clickingon the Print Setup button (available only if a full-page printer isconnected to the system).

[0181] Doctor's Orders provides a Main voice menu item “Doctor OfficeOnly Press . . .” where doctors or their assistants will be prompted torecord new prescriptions or refill authorizations or a general voicemessage. Doctor's orders are displayed on the Doctor Orders or Allscreens with type “Doctor” and blank “Rx Number” field. When at leastone voice file has been recorded there will be “Yes” in the Voicecolumn. To work with the Doctor's order, select Doctor's order byclicking on the row in the Information Window.

[0182] One may listen to all the information recorded by the doctor byclicking on the Play Voice Files button on the Toolbar (FIG. 10) or byselecting Play Voice Files option from the Actions menu. To control theplay back of the voice file and/or transcribe the information that wasrecorded, click on the Data Entry button on the Toolbar. The Doctorwindow will be displayed. On the Doctor window one may; play voice fileby clicking on the Play, Stop, Start, Back, Forward or End buttons; typethe information that was recorded in the text window; or print theDoctor Order by clicking on the Print button. Choose the printer toprint the Doctor Order with the typed in information by clicking on thePrint Setup button (available only if a full-page printer is connectedto the system).

[0183] Doctors may record prescription information for unlimited numberof patients in one recording. You may play and type in the patient'sname, address and telephone number and prescription information for eachpatient individually.

[0184] With a narrow receipt printer, the system automatically printsevery order received. Click on the Print button on the Refill (FIG. 5)or Doctor windows so that the order will be reprinted including thetyped information. With a full-page printer, the system will notautomatically print every incoming order. Print orders in full pageformat at any time by choosing the screen (Unfilled, Refills, Doctors,Phone Log, etc.) by clicking on the appropriate button on the Toolbar orby selecting from the Orders menu. Under the File menu, click on Print.The Print window appears with a list of the printers that are connectedto the computer. On the Print window select the desired printer byclicking on it. then click on the Print button. A full-page documentwill be printed on the selected printer. Once a printer is selected, usethe Print button on the Toolbar at the top of the main screen for allfull-page printing. A full-page document will be printed on thepreviously selected printer. The Print button is disabled when a receiptprinter is also installed in the system. In the Receipt Printer mode,the printer must be kept on line otherwise the printing error box willappear on the screen and all the incoming orders will be kept in queueuntil the error is corrected.

[0185] Activate Voice Messaging permits customers to leave a voicemessage for the pharmacy staff without placing an order. All voicemessages received are transmitted to the computer and can be retrievedthrough the speakers and/or headphones as follows: select a VoiceMessage by simply clicking on the row in the Information Window; clickon the Play Voice Files button on the Toolbar or select Play Voice Filesoption from the Actions menu to hear the recording. To make a note ortranscribe the Message and print it out for reference, click on the DataEntry button on the Toolbar and the Message window will be displayed. Onthe Message window one may: play the voice file by clicking on the Play,Stop, Start, Back, Forward or End buttons; type the information that wasrecorded in the text window; or print the typed in information byclicking on the Print button. Choose the printer to print the typedinformation by clicking on the Print Setup button and selecting thedesired printer on the Print Setup window (available only if a full-pageprinter is connected to the system).

[0186] Having thus described the invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit thespirit and scope thereof. What is desired to be protected by LettersPatent is set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer system for automatically receivingcustomer prescription refill orders comprising: a central station forreceiving telephone calls; means at said central station for prompting acaller to provide prescription refill information; and means at saidcentral station for transferring said prescription refill information tosaid pharmacy.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transferring meansincludes means for periodically faxing said information to saidpharmacy.
 3. The system of claim 2 further comprising means forindicating to said pharmacy whether caller left a voice message for saidpharmacy.
 4. The system of claim 1 further comprising computer means atsaid pharmacy for displaying said information and for playing voicemessages.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the transferring meanscomprises modem means for linking the central station to the pharmacycomputer.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said transferring meansfurther includes means for transmitting said information to saidpharmacy via e-mail.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein said centralstation includes means for receiving said prescription refillinformation via the Internet.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein saidtransferring means includes means for transmitting said information tosaid pharmacy via a pager.
 9. A computer system for automaticallyreceiving customer prescription refill orders and transmitting theinformation to a pharmacy comprising: a central station for receivingtelephone calls which have been call forwarded from a pharmacy; means atsaid central station for prompting a caller to provide prescriptionrefill information; means at said central station for transmitting saidprescription refill information to said pharmacy; said transmitting mansincluding means for periodically transmitting said information to saidpharmacy by facsimile transmission, E-mail, and/or pager; and means atsaid central station for indicating to said pharmacy whether said callerleft a voice message for said pharmacy.
 10. The system of claim 9further including computer means at said pharmacy for displaying saidinformation and for playing said voice messages.
 11. The system of claim9 further including means at said central station for receiving saidprescription refill information via the Internet.
 12. The system ofclaim 9 further comprising means at said pharmacy for selectivelyforwarding calls to the central station.
 13. The system of claim 10wherein said computer means includes means for displaying saidinformation as unfilled orders.
 14. The system of claim 13 wherein saidcomputer means includes means for displaying said information as currentorders.
 15. The system of claim 14 wherein said computer means includesmeans for marking orders as filled.
 16. The system of claim 10 whereinsaid computer means includes means for playing and transcribing voicemessages.
 17. The system of claim 10 wherein said computer meansincludes means for deleting orders.